Once again targeting higher ed, Texas lawmakers limited faculty influence, campus speech this session
Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce. Full Story
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Sneha Dey is an education reporter for The Texas Tribune, working in partnership with Open Campus. She covers pathways from education to employment and the accessibility of postsecondary education in Texas, with an eye on college readiness, community colleges and career and technical training. Prior to joining the Tribune, she had stints at NPR’s Education Desk and Chalkbeat. Sneha is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She grew up in New York and is based in Austin.
Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce. Full Story
The mixed-bag results showed early literacy improvements, a key indicator of future academic success, but underline the challenges of preparing children for STEM-related jobs. Full Story
Within hours of a federal lawsuit targeting Texas’ policy of letting undocumented students qualify for lower public tuition rates, the 24-year-old law was no more. Full Story
An agenda driven by conservative priorities, schools’ financial duress and teacher needs led to an $8.5 billion boost, new discipline rules, more Christianity in classrooms and a DEI ban. Full Story
The state standardized test has long been criticized for taking instructional time away from teachers and putting unnecessary pressure on students. Full Story
House Bill 6, which now heads to the governor, targets the increase in violence that has plagued schools since the pandemic. Full Story
The latest version of the proposal eliminates language that would have required university curricula not to advocate that “any race, sex, ethnicity or religious belief is inherently superior to another.” Full Story
The chambers differ on how much power districts should have to push back in courts over their accountability ratings. They risk keeping STAAR by default if they don’t reach an agreement. Full Story
The Texas Senate had previously proposed more severe consequences in the bill. Full Story
Texas lawmakers are poised to make it easier to suspend disruptive students. But some teachers and school psychologists say discipline alone won’t meet the mental health needs at the root of their behavior. Full Story